daniel f aleman
Contributor
Well, you answered you own question. Correctly too...
Redundant Bouyancy
- Thread starter darylm74
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OP.... good solid question. You have done some good thing-through on your own,,,,and have had some insights posted already.
I am a strong believer on that side of the fence that advocates the use of a second bladder or wing when diving doubles and wet suits, and particularly when slinging bottle(s). In diving dry that suit is your backup and thirdly your lift bag. In diving wet my primary wing is first...second is my stacked second wing (I don't have a dual bladder primary wing--nor do I like them)....and as a last resort my lift bag.
The idea of swimming this said 'balanced' single wing and now a damaged wing up from depth in a wet suit and wearing doubles/deco bottles is just crazy,,,,,even the use of a lift bag doing this is very diffucult, and to hit and maintain your deco obligation is really tough! The only safe and effective way considering all, is with a redundant wing/bladder. I pers. prefer the extra wing staked as opposed to the dual bladder set up.
As to getting back to the surface.....with a redundant wing/bladder you have no worries,,,,you handle yourself just as if you were using your primary wing....no playing around with lift bags at the surface at at deco stops....unless you shot it for an assent line.
I use a Deep Outdoors 40lbs. lift horseshoe wing as my wet suit doubles back up staked wing.
Others will have their idea on this subject,,,,but you have to think it through....get with your mentor.....and actually try several methods in a controlled setting to make the choice best suited for you!
I am a strong believer on that side of the fence that advocates the use of a second bladder or wing when diving doubles and wet suits, and particularly when slinging bottle(s). In diving dry that suit is your backup and thirdly your lift bag. In diving wet my primary wing is first...second is my stacked second wing (I don't have a dual bladder primary wing--nor do I like them)....and as a last resort my lift bag.
The idea of swimming this said 'balanced' single wing and now a damaged wing up from depth in a wet suit and wearing doubles/deco bottles is just crazy,,,,,even the use of a lift bag doing this is very diffucult, and to hit and maintain your deco obligation is really tough! The only safe and effective way considering all, is with a redundant wing/bladder. I pers. prefer the extra wing staked as opposed to the dual bladder set up.
As to getting back to the surface.....with a redundant wing/bladder you have no worries,,,,you handle yourself just as if you were using your primary wing....no playing around with lift bags at the surface at at deco stops....unless you shot it for an assent line.
I use a Deep Outdoors 40lbs. lift horseshoe wing as my wet suit doubles back up staked wing.
Others will have their idea on this subject,,,,but you have to think it through....get with your mentor.....and actually try several methods in a controlled setting to make the choice best suited for you!
JEScholz
Contributor
Perhaps the "old way" of wearing a weight belt has some merit? I would rather dump a few pound of lead than have to peel out of my rig to be positive.
H2Andy
Contributor
Betail:
i don't wear any weight (well, other than my double tanks and plate)
i wear a drysuit, and am overweighted as it is
Betail:
'Most' divers diving a wet suit and steel doubles will not require additional wt..
JEScholz
Contributor
H2Andy:
That is my exact point!
So many divers today are integrating their weight into the rig, that the old idea of "ditching" does not work. How much does you backplate weigh and do you have any "trim" weights mounted anywhere that could be replaced with a weight belt or ditchable weights?
H2Andy
Contributor
Betail:That is my exact point!
literally, i carry no weight other than my aluminum plate and doubles
JEScholz
Contributor
H2Andy:
Ever think of mounting a sealed piece of 3" PVC between the doubles? That would add bouancy and you could counter with some ditchable weights.
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To answer your scenario,
Failed wing, at surface, almost full load of gas, wetsuit, you're still heavy and having a hard time keeping your head/mouth dry. Simple solution here. Ditch the gas in your tanks down to 500psi or so. Now you're close to neutral, problem solved.
If you are still heavy with 500 psi, you are overweighted in the first place. Take AL80s (plus stage if you need even more gas). But needing that much gas suggests a long exposure, you'll want a drysuit for that. In which case you could skip the stage and take bigger steel tanks.
Wetsuit= short exposures only = AL80s adequate
Lots of gas aka Long exposures = drysuit. Allowing bigger steel tanks.
Redundant bladders cause almost as many problems as they solve. I'd skip it.
Failed wing, at surface, almost full load of gas, wetsuit, you're still heavy and having a hard time keeping your head/mouth dry. Simple solution here. Ditch the gas in your tanks down to 500psi or so. Now you're close to neutral, problem solved.
If you are still heavy with 500 psi, you are overweighted in the first place. Take AL80s (plus stage if you need even more gas). But needing that much gas suggests a long exposure, you'll want a drysuit for that. In which case you could skip the stage and take bigger steel tanks.
Wetsuit= short exposures only = AL80s adequate
Lots of gas aka Long exposures = drysuit. Allowing bigger steel tanks.
Redundant bladders cause almost as many problems as they solve. I'd skip it.
OP
darylm74
Contributor
Betail:
I barely wear any weight (4 lbs) with a drysuit now with a slim-line can light in doubles. In a wetsuit, I am a crotch rocket to the abyss with my doubles (even when switching to an AL plate). I would slap on a weight belt and call it a day done if the option were that simple.
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